Do Americans use metric system?

[MiTasol]

Probably true, I'll take your word for it. Just goes to show that a hybrid system may be the best in the world. Just saying….What was the ceiling height of a recent aircraft flight? As in how many thousands of Feet? Fired your 11.43mm pistol lately? (Said nobody, that would correctly be 45 Cal ACP). How about the plethora of 50 Calibers that decorate so many of our aircraft, or do you prefer COMBLOC 12.7mm? As I just said elsewhere, we're right back to the original purpose of this Forum, asking which system do you prefer? As a known curmudgeon pushing 80 and being the perfect poster child of that old dog that can't learn new tricks I still vote for Imperial. As a young GI in West Germany I was amazed at, and always adhered to that sign: Nicht Sprechen Mit Der Wagonfuhrer!

As an 80+ year old curmudgeon who was raised on inFerial until year 11 in school* I am totally pro metric because it is LOGICAL and there are no such measuring stupidities as confusing and conflicting gauges for measuring metal.

Gauges for measurements are perhaps the best example of the illogical nature of inFerial. Below are pages from RAAF Publication 314 The R.A.A.F. AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING HANDBOOK dated Nov 44. Note that the metric countries only have one gauge, or clearly separate wire and sheet gauges, whereas the British and American standard is either

• we do not have A standard, so we try and have as many conflicting sub-standards as possible, or
• why have A standard when with a little bit of effort you can have dozens of conflicting sub-standards.

Pay attention to the notes on page 10. I left out the start of App A and the rest of App B - the post is long enough as is.

*My school started teaching metric as an experiment in 1960.

 

[spanishbuddha]

As of 2019 the United States is one of only three countries (the other two are Myanmar and Liberia) that have not officially adopted the metric system as the primary means of weights and measures.
Even back in the early 60's the military was using metric, i.e. KLICKS and the little AR was not called a .22 caliber but a 5.56mm. Cars on the other hand were Detroit-made and all SAE. About the 70's there was that occasional PIA nut/bolt that got stripped 'cause my wrench didn't fit. About the 80's or so you had to have metric sized tools to work on just about anything. In the supermarket it's a weird mix. Soda pop is sold both ways, the big 2 L bottles and the smaller 12 fl.oz cans.
Meats still in English POUNDS and dry packaged items in weird English OUNCES like 12 3/4 oz making "cost per ounce" comparisons very difficul. Cooking/baking recipes still call for CUPS, TEASPOONS, and TABLESPOONS though most measuring cups are calibrated in metric units as well
Distances still in MILES, FEET, and INCHES. Interstate highways had both Miles and Kilometers for a while but they gave up on that. Speeds in MPH or MILES PER HOUR
I do not see the US truly going metric in the foreseeable future. Personally I think we would be better off joining the rest of the civilized world, More for the sake of interchangeability, though I do feel that the metric system makes more sense than the "length of Charles I foot as he left church services one morning" or "3 Barley corns laid end to end," and sometimes I wonder why do I shut down during arguments, while I am making wishes, I want a pony.

No, Americans do not primarily use the metric system. The United States mainly uses the imperial system (inches, feet, pounds, gallons, etc.) for everyday measurements. However, the metric system is used in specific fields like science, medicine, the military, and some industries, so Americans often encounter it in those contexts.

 

[GrauGeist]

i do find it amusing that the great British Empire reached it's peak while using the Imperial measure system.

Then they went metric.

 

[MiTasol]

Cooking/baking recipes still call for CUPS, TEASPOONS, and TABLESPOONS though most measuring cups are calibrated in metric units as well

And English, American, Australian and metric cups are all different. Probably the same for the spoon sizes as well.

And then there are pints. They vary as well, because having a single standard would be too @#$%^&* intelligent.

 

[MiTasol]

i do find it amusing that the great British Empire reached it's peak while using the Imperial measure system.

Then they went metric.

Actually they went metric about the 1980s. They went unified (UNF and UNC) for nuts and bolts in 1947 and were still fully inFerial at that point.

 

[SaparotRob]

i do find it amusing that the great British Empire reached it's peak while using the Imperial measure system.

Then they went metric.

That explains everything.

 

[GTX]

i do find it amusing that the great British Empire reached it's peak while using the Imperial measure system.

Then they went metric.

The British effectively adopted the metric system in the 1960s. Their empire was already well gone by then.

 

[GTX]

Double post

 

[special ed]

Most likely, The USA will go metric completely when U.S. football fields are measured in metric.

 

[Lucky13]

I use the Pint system....

 

[mikewint]

Jan, you is going to have to give more information.
Both the British Imperial and US Customary systems definr PINT and 1/8 of a gallon but define GALLON differently so..
British Imperial pint = 568mL while the US Customary pint = 473mL
Then there is a US Customary DRY PINT = 661mL or 33.6 cu in.
Now there is also a FRENCH PINTE = 500mL but in Canadian French it is actually a Quart
In Australia a PINT is = 570mL UNLESS you are in SOUTH Australia where a PINT = 425mL
Then there is SCOTLAND where a PINT = 1696mL
Going to be headed to Scotland Jan?

 

[Lucky13]

Jan, you is going to have to give more information.
Both the British Imperial and US Customary systems definr PINT and 1/8 of a gallon but define GALLON differently so..
British Imperial pint = 568mL while the US Customary pint = 473mL
Then there is a US Customary DRY PINT = 661mL or 33.6 cu in.
Now there is also a FRENCH PINTE = 500mL but in Canadian French it is actually a Quart
In Australia a PINT is = 570mL UNLESS you are in SOUTH Australia where a PINT = 425mL
Then there is SCOTLAND where a PINT = 1696mL
Going to be headed to Scotland Jan?

I live in Glasgow, Scotland already....unless I'm visiting Terry's neck of the woods, where they thought I was Irish!

 

[smutny]

However, the metric system is used in specific fields like science, medicine, the military, and some industries, so Americans often encounter it in those contexts.

Oh, I'd say it's far more commonplace than that. Cars, motorcycles, airplanes... all IKEA furniture is metric. I just walked into NAPA a few weeks ago for a freeze plug for a 1950's era Chrysler engine and the young lady behind the counter gave me the measurement in millimeters not inches. You're hard pressed to find any consumer tool kit you buy now that doesn't come with both SAE and Metric tools.

One of my biggest pet peeves with my customers that have European airplanes is that they don't pay attention to the hex key or bit they use and round out all their screws with a SAE tool or break free their rivnuts free with a SAE screw.

 

[mikewint]

Sweden is of course Metric so PINT has no official volume. Ordering a STOR STARK probably would get you a 500ml glass though they could easily serve a 400ml glass or the Imperial 568mL. Now a really olde Traditional might serve a traditional Swedish STOP of 1300mL
So in Scotland ask for a Scots Pint or a JOUG

 

[MiTasol]

Jan, you is going to have to give more information.
Both the British Imperial and US Customary systems definr PINT and 1/8 of a gallon but define GALLON differently so..
British Imperial pint = 568mL while the US Customary pint = 473mL
Then there is a US Customary DRY PINT = 661mL or 33.6 cu in.
Now there is also a FRENCH PINTE = 500mL but in Canadian French it is actually a Quart
In Australia a PINT is = 570mL UNLESS you are in SOUTH Australia where a PINT = 425mL
Then there is SCOTLAND where a PINT = 1696mL
Going to be headed to Scotland Jan?

But in many bars in Aus now a pint is 470ml, not 568 or 570ml. In South Aus in a bar a pint is 425ml but an imperial pint is 568ml.

And why is the pint now 470ml in many bars? Because that is the size of the US pint and another example of the US bastardisation of Aus.

Like I said before - having a single standard would be too @#$%^&* intelligent.

 

[Lucky13]

 

[Greg Boeser]

But in many bars in Aus now a pint is 470ml, not 568 or 570ml. In South Aus in a bar a pint is 425ml but an imperial pint is 568ml.

And why is the pint now 470ml in many bars? Because that is the size of the US pint and another example of the US bastardisation of Aus.

Like I said before - having a single standard would be too @#$%^&* intelligent.

Oh, come now! The Australians were bastards way before any Americans showed up.
The Princess Bride (5/12) Movie CLIP - The Battle of Wits (1987) HD - YouTube - YouTube

 

[GrauGeist]

I just walked into NAPA a few weeks ago for a freeze plug for a 1950's era Chrysler engine and the young lady behind the counter gave me the measurement in millimeters not inches.

That's odd, because Dorman still manufactures brass and steel expansion plugs (and discs or vintage engines) in inches.

 

[MiTasol]

Oh, come now! The Australians were bastards way before any Americans showed up.
The Princess Bride (5/12) Movie CLIP - The Battle of Wits (1987) HD - YouTube - YouTube

And bloody proud of it but that does not mean we have to be subsumed into the unUnited States of Amaricka.

 

[smutny]

That's odd, because Dorman still manufactures brass and steel expansion plugs (and discs or vintage engines) in inches.

Yes, the point was she immediately went to Metric rather than SAE. It was a more common measurement system for her. The SAE dimensions were also listed in their system.